Waiting for Summertime

[Alvin Greis]

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A ticket kiosk for sightseeing boats at the Market Square pier in Helsinki. The middle of a northern spring — still damp and misty, as the city waits for summer to begin.

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Leica M11 + APO 50 F/2.  ISO64 1/500 F/2

I see this photograph very much in the spirit of the Leica M: honest, quiet, and attuned to the stillness of the moment.

I am experimenting, trying to understand what makes Leica M photographs so special. Photographs taken with the Leica M have a unique mood, thanks to their quietness and minimalism, heightening the photographer’s consciousness with each shot. The camera, requiring manual focus, captures an intimate connection with the world, creating a visual depth that, with the right approach, transforms into meaningful depth.

Edited April 17 by Alvin Greis

[Dazzajl]

The image and your words work very well together. 

[lykaman]

2 hours ago, Alvin Greis said:

A ticket kiosk for sightseeing boats at the Market Square pier in Helsinki. The middle of a northern spring — still damp and misty, as the city waits for summer to begin.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Leica M11 + APO 50 F/2.  ISO64 1/500 F/2

I see this photograph very much in the spirit of the Leica M: honest, quiet, and attuned to the stillness of the moment.

I am experimenting, trying to understand what makes Leica M photographs so special. Photographs taken with the Leica M have a unique mood, thanks to their quietness and minimalism, heightening the photographer’s consciousness with each shot. The camera, requiring manual focus, captures an intimate connection with the world, creating a visual depth that, with the right approach, transforms into meaningful depth.

Whilst I agree many M images are ‘personal and thoughtful’ the same images can be taken with various other marques of camera and lens combos producing just as moody images.. 🍷

[Alvin Greis]

That’s true, techincally. But that’s the truth about the result — and I’m more about the process. It’s like with cars: any of them will get you from point A to point B. But the way they do it is different. Even though the result is the same — you arrive.

I’m comparing what I get from the M and the SL. The images from the M are always calmer.

Edited April 18 by Alvin Greis

[Ko.Fe.]

Big pardon, this is awesome landscape, not street...

My days of bricks like SL carry-on is over. I'm holding to first and last digital M I could afford... Or even smaller cameras.

I'm finding digital M to be slower than film M. With my M4-2's  smooth shutter speed dial I could increase, decrease shutter speed to follow light change. With split of the second.

With my digital M it doesn't work this way and I have to be very careful with its exposure meter. If where is tiny bright spot in the frame, it will expose to it, living most of the frame in the dark.

So, I need to spend lot more time with digital M comparing to any other digital camera I have. It means it is fine for idyllic landscapes like yours. But not much for the street as film M could do. 

[Alvin Greis]

2 hours ago, Ko.Fe. said:

Big pardon, this is awesome landscape, not street...

My days of bricks like SL carry-on is over. I'm holding to first and last digital M I could afford... Or even smaller cameras.

I'm finding digital M to be slower than film M. With my M4-2's  smooth shutter speed dial I could increase, decrease shutter speed to follow light change. With split of the second.

With my digital M it doesn't work this way and I have to be very careful with its exposure meter. If where is tiny bright spot in the frame, it will expose to it, living most of the frame in the dark.

So, I need to spend lot more time with digital M comparing to any other digital camera I have. It means it is fine for idyllic landscapes like yours. But not much for the street as film M could do. 

It was difficult for me to define whether it was street or landscape, because of the location. The market square, full of tourists and sellers, confused me. I agree with everything you said. I tried using the digital M, prefocused for street photography, and it worked perfectly. But I prefer to use it in a slower, more deliberate way in fully manual mode. That’s where I feel most connected to the process.

Edited April 18 by Alvin Greis

[stuny]

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I agree with Darren (Dazzdjl)

[Alvin Greis]

On 4/18/2025 at 2:45 PM, stuny said:

I agree with Darren (Dazzdjl)

My teacher used to say that photography is not a self-sufficient medium, and that it is essential to create a context around it. It won’t turn a bad photograph into a good one, but it will enhance a good one.